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Leveraging a Participatory Process for Restoration Return on Investment: The Nature Conservancy's Floodplain Investment Tool
Author(s) -
Lyon Steve W.,
Cunha Luciana,
DiBlasio Michelle,
Creveling Ellen
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
jawra journal of the american water resources association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.957
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1752-1688
pISSN - 1093-474X
DOI - 10.1111/1752-1688.12687
Subject(s) - watershed , floodplain , environmental science , environmental resource management , return on investment , investment (military) , ecosystem services , stakeholder , transparency (behavior) , hydrology (agriculture) , stakeholder engagement , business , ecosystem , environmental economics , computer science , geography , ecology , engineering , economics , profit (economics) , cartography , management , computer security , geotechnical engineering , machine learning , politics , political science , law , biology , microeconomics
In this study, we develop the Floodplain Investment Tool (FPIT) to help stakeholders prioritize conservation efforts to maximize return on investments (e.g., ensure the most “bang for the buck”). We applied the FPIT for the 177 mi 2 (458 km 2 ) Paulins Kill watershed located in northwestern New Jersey, as a case study focusing on nutrient loading. The resultant FPIT reflected independently assessed habitat and ecosystem impairment scores across the watershed. Nutrient load (both total phosphorus [TP] and total nitrogen [TN]) estimates made with the FPIT were in relative agreement across scales with a more robust modeling approach and allowed for development of several application scenarios. For example, we estimated a well‐targeted budget of $2 million could reduce annual nutrient load to be approximately 530 lbs (240 kg) of TP and 5,835 lbs (2,647 kg) of TN for the watershed. Where the clear value for the FPIT can be seen is in the process by which it was pilot‐tested for application and stakeholder voices were integrated into its development. This allows for a level of transparency not available from more top‐down approaches where stakeholders are involved only at the end of the development process.